Satellite Update - May 31, 2005

The FCC granted, with conditions, requests from DirecTV for special temporary authority (STA) to operate, on a non-interference basis, tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C) functions with its DirecTV 8 satellite using frequencies 17307 MHz (Earth-to-space) and 12203.25 and 12203.75 MHz (space-to-Earth) at and during transit between the 102.8 degree West Longitude (WL), 99.2 degree WL and 101 degree WL orbital locations. The STA also allows operation of the Ka-band communications payload on the DirecTV 8 satellite at 102.8 degrees WL for up to four days, ending on June 3, 2005 and for a period of up to 18 days, ending June 23, 2005, after the satellite is drifted to 99.2 degrees W.L. (See the related story on the DirecTV 8 launch in this week's RF Report.) For additional information on this action and for non-technical FCC satellite actions see FCC Report SAT-00294.

The FCC accepted an application from Intelsat LLC to relocate INTELSAT 602 from 50.5 degrees East Longitude (EL) to 150.5 degrees EL. At the new location, INTELSAT 602 will operated in an inclined orbit mode. Telesat Canada filed a petition for declaratory ruling to add Anik F1R, a replacement satellite for the North American payloads on Anik F1 at 107.3 degrees WL, to the FCC's Permitted Space Station List. Anik F1R is a hybrid C- and Ku-band satellite. Telesat has received an approval in principle from Industry Canada to operate Anik F1R at 107.3 degrees WL. North American traffic will be moved from Anik F1 to Anik F1R, but Anik F1 will continue to service primarily South American and links between South and North America. Telesat is requesting that both Anik F1R and Anik F1 be included on the Permitted Space Station List. For information on this application and information on an application from New Skies Satellites B.V. notifying the FCC of a pro forma corporate reorganization and initial public offering, see FCC Report SAT-00295.

The FCC granted a petition for declaratory ruling filed by ICO Satellite Services GP modifying its 2 GHz Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) system to provide for operation with a single geostationary satellite known at ICO-G at the 91 degree WL orbital location. It rejected ICO's waiver request to use C-band frequencies for TT&C, but authorized the use of Ka-band frequencies for feeder-link and on-station TT&C transmissions. ICO Satellite Services must choose a Selected Assignment in each of the 2000-2020 MHz and 2180-2200 MHz frequency bands upon commencing operation of the satellite at 91 degrees WL. The Selected Assignments will give ICO 4 MHz of spectrum in each direction. The FCC Order (DA 05-1504) lists July 1, 2007 as the deadline for launching the satellite, with July 17, 2007 listed as the deadline for it being certified operational. Refer to FCC Order (DA 05-1504) for technical details on the ICO system and additional milestone deadlines.

The FCC authorized Mobile Satellite Ventures Subsidiary LLC (MSV) to launch and operate a second-generation L-band MSS satellite, known as MSV-1 at the 101 degree WL orbital position. The FCC said grant of MSV's application "will allow MSV to continue to serve its existing customers, expand the range of its services, and provide competitive communications services to the most rural and remote areas." For technical details on MSV-1, see FCC Order DA 05-1492.